By Dan Ambrose: Billy Joe Saunders (26-0, 12 KOs) has an outside chance of being the backup Plan-B option for Gennady Golovkin on May 5th if Saul Canelo Alvarez receives a lengthier suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission in his hearing with them on April 10 for his 2 positive tests for clebuterol.
Saunders’ promoter Frank Warren isn’t sure if he’ll take the fight with Golovkin if it’s offered to him, as he’s dealing with a hand injury that needs to heal. Saunders is not going to take the fight with Golovkin on the 5th of May if his hand is still giving him problems. It’s going to be a difficult enough fight for Saunders as it is trying to deal with Golovkin’s punching power and nonstop pressure.
A healthy Saunders will have a lot of problems against Golovkin. But if Saunders is only 80 percent against Triple G, he’ll really be up against it. Saunders isn’t a big puncher, and not having his right at full strength will be an even bigger issue for him.
Saunders is scheduled to defend his WBO middleweight title against Martin Murray (36-4-1, 17 KOs) on June 23 at the O2 Arena in London, England. Sanders and Murray were supposed to face each other in April, but the fight was postponed due to a hand injury for Saunders.
Saunders, 28, can make a lot of money fighting Golovkin if Canelo receives a second suspension by the Nevada Commission, but it’s going to depend on his health and perhaps other things as well. Golovkin’s promoter Tom Loeffler has mentioned the idea of him facing Saunders if Canelo can’t take the fight, but it might be a risky match to make on just 3 weeks’ notice.
Saunders is a much trickier opponent to figure out than the slow-footed Canelo. Golovkin would have to cut off the quickly against Saunders for him not to end up getting a boxing lesson the way David Lemieux did last December. Saunders beat Lemieux by a one-sided 12 round unanimous decision. It wasn’t even close. Lemieux was no match for the skills of Saunders.
“The problem we’ve got is that Bill sustained a hand injury. We postponed the fight to the 23rd of June, only because that’s the first date we could get at The O2. Whether he’ll be ready earlier, we’ll know this week,” Warren said to BoxNation Podcast.
It would be a shame if Saunders chooses not to take the with GGG, and he winds up losing some someone like Daniel Jacobs, Demetrius Andrade, Sergiy Derevyanchenko or Jermall Charlo. One of those guys has a chance of being the replacement for Golovkin to face on May 5 if Canelo receives a further suspension on April 10. Golovkin is going to stay on the May 5th date without Canelo if he’s suspended.
”I don’t know if being ready by the 5th of May is a proposition but we’ll have a look and see. If he does fight Golovkin he’s not going in there 80 or 90%, he’s got to go in there 100% fit,” Warren said.
For Golovkin’s sake, hopefully if Canelo receives a suspension, he’s not prevented from fighting in between that time while he’s waiting for him to complete his suspension. If Golovkin has to wait around for Canelo’s suspension to expire in September, it means he’ll have been waiting for an entire year for the rematch without him fighting anyone. If Canelo’s suspension runs from his last failed test for clenbuterol on February 20, then he should be able to face Golovkin in September. The Nevada Commission will likely subtract 2 ½ weeks of the temporary suspension from a possible 6-month suspension they could hand out on April 10.